Fuji X1. 00. T : : First Look . It was the original X1. Fuji cameras, and I haven’t looked back since selling my DSLR gear in favor of the Fuji X series for my small format cameras. Yes, I’m going back to film days and saying that 3. That’s not a dig at full frame sensors. That’s just calling 3. But, before I digress into hyperbole and enrage the trollz, let’s jump into this new camera and why or why not you might be interested in it.(Click on any image in this post for a larger view.)This post is not a review of the Fuji X1. T per se, but more of a first look at the new camera and its new features and my opinions about it. Upgrade #1 : : Speed. Fuji Views is an announcement platform for Fuji vs. Fuji comparisons and my reviews, in addition to observations and thoughts on the latest happenings in the world of. ![]() Fujifilm has just announced yet another set of “Kaizen” firmware updates that will soon be available for the Fuji X-T2 and Fuji X-Pro2 cameras. This is a major. The Fuji X-T1 Review. Fuji creates the Best X to date! What a way to blow a review! I pretty much say right there in the title that yes indeed this X-T1 is. The firmware update Ver.5.20 from. To test the X1. 00. T I went back to the original X1. I walked around and shot with the original X1. It is no longer the slow weird beast I fell in love with nearly four years ago. I then walked the same path with my X1. ![]() Check out this landscape photography with the Sony A7s and Really Right Stuff tripods by Dallas based landscape photographer James Brandon on Shotkit.S and then the X1. T. I wanted to get a feel for the progression this camera has made. The new X1. 00. T shows just how much Fuji has moved this camera forward. It’s like using an i. Phone 3 and then going to an i. ![]() Phone 5. Focusing is much faster and far more accurate in both OVF and EVF modes. The overall speed and responsiveness of the camera is faster and more fluid. Walking the same path with the X1. S shows how much in the middle that camera is in- between the X1. X1. 00. T. Shooting my original X1. OVF brought back tons of memories I’ve had with these X cameras. I just wanted a nice compact camera to walk around with. I never thought it would have such an impact on my life; from getting me started in street photography, to picking Fuji up as a client and shooting for them, to the wholesale dismantling of my DSLR kit. I have such a strong nostalgic connection to my original X1. I’d love to actually put the first firmware back into it just for the good ol’ days. I’ve now been shooting with the X1. T for a solid week and as much as I didn’t go back to the X1. X1. 00. S, I see my X1. S falling to back up camera as of. I have three of them and I finally said “to hell with this” some time ago. The Fuji XT1 was the first camera I’ve used where Wi. Fi didn’t completely suck. I’ve used Wi. Fi on Canon, Sony, Fuji, and Panasonic and so far Fuji is doing the best job integrating Wi. Fi to i. OS. I’ve never tried it on Android so I can’t relate my experience with that platform. The Wi. Fi on the X1. T is working like a champ for controlling the camera remotely to browsing and downloading images to an i. Phone and i. Pad. I’m heading to Europe this week and I’m not taking a big camera bag nor am I taking a laptop. I’m taking this X1. T, two conversion lenses, and an i. Pad Mini. However, let me state that Wi. Fi is still buggy and there’s a healthy amount of lag when remotely controlling the camera while shooting. I think this technology has a long way to go, but it is usable in shooting and it is wonderful for downloading to a device for editing and sharing. One thing I’d love to see upgraded on the Fuji cameras is allowing the photographer to control the camera from the camera while it is being previewed on a device. This would be extremely helpful during a shoot as I can keep shooting and my client or crew can see the images popping up on an i. Pad. As it stands, when a Fuji camera is being controlled remotely via Wi. Fi the camera goes dark. You can only control it via the app. And dearest Fuji — We still want tethering to a computer. Upgrade #3 : : Classic Chrome. I have a confession to make. I have had a hacked X1. S all summer that had this new Classic Chrome film simulation loaded into it. Fuji asked if I would test it and I half heartedly agreed to. Don’t know what you’re going to get from it. I don’t use the film simulation modes.” Then I shot all summer with Classic Chrome and that’s all I shoot with the hacked X1. S and X1. 00. T. I really hope it is coming to the rest of the Fuji lineup via firmware. I haven’t heard anything about new firmware. I might know more after Photokina next week. I’ll update you here on DEDPXL if I hear anything new. But yes. This might be sacrilege to some but it could almost be called an Eggleston filter. I do not want to cheapen this film simulation with a dumb name or anything like that, and I sure as hell do not want to cheapen the name of William Eggleston. I only say that because it reminds me a lot of Eggleston’s palette. Please don’t flame me over this. I’m just trying to describe my feelings and emotions when I started shooting this film simulation. I love Eggleston’s work and his use of color is so unique that it became his signature at times. It makes sense, though, since Eggleston shot Kodachrome most of the time, and this is called “Classic Chrome”; I’m kind of thinking that Kodachrome was the inspiration for this film. I could be wrong. Just my opinion. There’s this “something” to this new film simulation. Whatever that “something” is I love it and I’m sold on it. It’s slightly desaturated and slightly flattened out without making highlights and shadows muddy like some film simulators tend to do. It can still hold a nice “snap” of contrast especially if you set your shadow tone to +1 which is something I am doing a bit more of these days. People don’t believe us Fuji shooters when we say we love the JPGs coming straight out of these cameras. Fuji has always processed images better than anyone else. I remember fashion shooters swearing by Fuji S1’s and S2’s for skin tone straight from camera. All of the sample images above were shot auto WB, auto ISO, aperture priority, some sort of exposure compensation, and using the Classic Chrome film simulation mode. These are straight out of camera JPGs that have been sized down to 2. Most were shot with the hacked X1. S. This blog post is coming right along! I’ve got a squirrel, my kids, a cat and a dog, and a flower! I might have to set up some kitschy sh! Let me know if you need those images to truly get an idea of what this camera is capable of. Maybe a photo of a quarter at every conceivable aperture and ISO setting? Let me know if you need those. Oh — you’re going to love this. I have hit the pinnacle of success as a professional photographer. The new Fuji brochure features some images I have shot in Classic Chrome and one of the images chosen is that flower shot above. I have a picture of a flower in a camera brochure guys!!! I’m looking forward to my early retirement. Upgrade #4 : : Layout, Displays, & Custom Functions. The menus have the XT1 feel and look to them with a few further refinements. One of the new features I’m most happy about is you can now customize your Q menu now! That’s been a huge request and just one more sign that we speak and Fuji listens. The new D pad on the back has been upgraded and I wish the XT1 had this exact D pad. Fuji got the D pad right! High fives all around! I think they have finally found the perfect mix of size, feel, and function. Each of the four buttons on the D pad can be programed to do whatever you want them to do. Currently I have the top one set to choose the AF area. The right button turns macro on and off. The bottom button turns face detection on and off. The left button cycles through the conversion lens settings. I have the top function button set to turn the built in ND filter on and off. I’ve kept the Wi. Fi function button at its default setting of turning on Wi. Fi. The seventh Fn button is the trash can button and that can be set to do something when in shooting mode. It is still the trash button when in playback mode. While I’m talking about buttons I need to mention that the AFS / AFC / MF selector button on the left side of the body is new and is the best yet. There are longer spaces between the M, C, and S positions and there’s a solid click as you hit each one. It’s a very small detail but one that has needed to be addressed since the original X1. Glad to see that improved. From the X1. 00. T brochure comes this interesting note — “After feedback from customers, the design philosophy and layout of the rear of the camera has been standardized on X series models.” So? It’s a pain moving from one X camera to another and remembering where all the buttons are because they’ve been moved around a lot. Some may argue they’d rather have this button there or that one here. I honestly don’t care. I just want one consistent layout and be done. They could have 1. I care and let us program each and every one. Just as long as there is some consistency moving forward is what I’m happy about. Upgrade #5 : : New Hybrid Viewfinder. The already wonderful hybrid viewfinder has been redesigned and it is fantastic. First, when in Optical Viewfinder (OVF) mode you now have a real time parallax preview as that white frame moves with focusing distance. You can also see the overall interface has been cleaned up as well. You can still have a digital level, framing guides, focus scale and all the rest. I used to have all that stuff turned on but lately I’ve been stripping my displays down to bare essentials. The image above was shot with my i. Phone so it does not do the viewfinder justice but it gives you a basic idea of the look of it. Notice the little preview in the bottom right corner? That’s a real time preview of your focus area and it lets you know what the camera is actually locking on to. It is also very helpful when using manual focus in combination with the OVF. As you move your focus point around the viewfinder the preview follows it. My preproduction unit has that turned on all the time in OVF mode and there have been times when I would like it turned off. I think this will be a feature that is user selectable once the firmware is finalized because I see it as an option in the new brochure. The new OVF is also brighter and larger than previous models and it’s beautiful. It also seems to cover the entire field of view of the wide angle conversion lens. When you set the camera to the wide angle converter the box changes to corner markers in the full frame of the OVF. Fuji X- E2 review . Many aspire to own the Fuji X- Pro 1, while others have opted for the smaller Fuji X- E1. Those wanting an even more compact interchangeable lens camera have the choice of the Fuji X- M1 or Fuji X- A1. With the introduction of the Fuji X- E2, we have the first update to Fuji's interchangeable lens X- series. This new camera uses exactly the same APS- C format 1. X- Trans CMOS II sensor as the Fuji X- 1. S. Unlike most cameras that use a Bayer pattern of red, green, green and blue receptors (usually referred to as RGGB) arranged in a 2 x 2 grid, the X- Trans CMOS II device uses a 6 x 6 RGGB filter array pattern, with a random arrangement of colour filters within each block of 3. This makes the sensor is less prone to moire patterning, and as a result Fuji is able to omit the anti- aliasing filter that overlays most digital camera sensors. The benefit of this is that the camera is able to produce sharper, more detailed images than a model with the same size sensor and pixel count and an anti- aliasing filter. Features. As in the X1. S, Fuji has coupled the X- E2's sensor with the EXR Processor II. This combination allows a start- up time of 0. JPEG images (with a class 1. SD card inserted). The writing speed is also reported to be 1. X- E1. In addition, there is 1. Sensitivity may be set in the native range of ISO 2. JPEG files to ISO 1. One of the main improvements offered by the X- E2 over the X- E1 is the addition of Fuji's Lens Modulation Optimiser technology, which tailors the processing of each image depending upon the specific lens, focal length and aperture used. It corrects diffraction blur to create sharper images across the frame. This system is compatible with the entire XF lens line- up. However, it is an option that users can choose to switch on or off as they prefer. An additional benefit of using the X- Trans CMOS II sensor is that it has pixels dedicated for use by a phase detection autofocus system and the camera can use either contrast or phase detection depending upon situation. This is backed up with face- detection focusing, which can be useful at social gatherings. Another claim to fame for the X- E2 is that it has the world's fastest phase detection autofocus speed of 0. Naturally, there are a few riders to this claim. Firstly, it relates to the phase detection element of the hybrid system, and secondly, Fuji says it's the fastest amongst digital cameras with a 4/3- inch or larger sensor. Keep the shutter release down for continuous AFFuji has also improved the X- E2's continuous AF system. Unlike with the X- E1, this now continues to operate while the shutter release is half pressed and the AF point is no longer locked to the centre of the frame. This improvement is made for both stills photography and while shooting movies. On the subject of movies, the X- E2 is capable of shooting full HD movies at 6. Like the X- E1, the X- E2 has an electronic viewfinder. As before, this OLED unit has a resolution of 2. However, according to Fuji the unit has been improved to give better performance in low light. As in the X1. 00s, the EVF offers a digital split image as well as focus- peaking to assist with manual focusing, something that we found especially useful with close subjects. Whereas the X- E1 has a 2. LCD, the X- E2 has a three- inch 9. The three- inch screen. Naturally, the new camera has Wi- Fi connectivity built- in, and after the initial connection has been made transferring images to a smartphone or tablet via Fuji's free app is a one- touch process. It's also possible to wirelessly back- up images automatically to computer once the camera has been paired with a router. Other improvements over the X- E1 include the ability to preview the exposure in the live view display of the screen and EVF, more accurate histogram display with high- contrast scenes, Dynamic Range Auto being available with manual exposure mode, maximum sensitivity and minimum shutter speed limits being customisable with the ISO Auto option, the provision of Fuji's Super Intelligent Flash and the ability to delete images from the zoomed- in view. Shooting Weddings with Fuji ~ Tips and Best Settings. Welcome to my updated 2. Fuji cameras. Back in 2. I wrote a blog post on my wedding photographer website that outlined the Fujifilm equipment I was using at the time to photograph weddings. If its ergonomically OK and works, then that’s where it stops for me. The Fuji X- Pro. 2 is about as close to a little black box as it gets. It’s perfect and I hope there will never be a chrome X- Pro. All of my cameras are bashed and scratched and they are very much work horses, rather than show pieces. Looking at shooting Weddings with Fuji? Here is an example of one of my weddings shot entirely with the above gear. As it is a more basic metering method, it’s perfect for photographers who don’t want to rely on high levels of metering automation. Sometimes you have to do that of course, but the way I shoot is very reactionary and very quick. The less time you have the camera to your eye and gazing throgh the EVF (not so much for OVF users) the less battery you will drain. Try and use the LCD of EVF for image review as infrequently as possible: Certainly I would switch off the automatic image review feature (Image Disp. Pre- AF – this is where the camera will constantly hunt for a focus point. Keeping an eye on the histogram is still important, even when shooting JPEGIf you find your blacks are too blocky, or your highlights are being clipped, then the histogram will give you a heads up and you can adjust accordingly (exposure compensation, changing your jpeg settings, adjust metering etc.). Sharpening X- Trans Files. This is my preferred working method for the Fuji files but of course there are many people who will shoot RAW and for valid reasons. I typically don’t sharpen my files as they are from JPEG, so the sharpening is in the camera. You do not need to use the additional Grain option that is present in the X- Pro. Acros film simulation. I’m writing this section of my blog post whilst away shooting a behind the scenes documentary of my good friend and master chef Eduard Grecu who is the head chef at The Woolacombe Bay Hotel. I’ve added two grab images from the shoot and placed them below.
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